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The Union County sheriff caught a masked thief in the act last week, only to turn around and let
him go.

You’d understand why if you saw this perp’s mug shot. He was the cutest thief you ever did
see.

“Sheriff Jamie Patton takes time out to help save a Baby Raccoon” was the
Around Town With Sandy headline on the Marysville-centric community Facebook page.

The item’s author reported that a friend called her in a panic because the little raccoon had
slipped into her garage and was gobbling down food meant for her cat, Toby.

She didn’t have the money for an animal-control expert and called the author for ideas. The
author called the sheriff.

“He dropped everything and called (the friend) and went to her home to take care of this vicious
masked bandit eating Toby’s food, and he was sitting right smack dab in the center of the dish,”
the post read. “After eating his fill, the raccoon fell asleep, and that is how Sheriff Jamie found
him.”

Patton coaxed the raccoon kit into a cat carrier, toted him to the woods and set him free “with
the intention of him finding his Mama.”

Murder-trial spectators in the courtroom of Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Kimberly Cocroft
received a lecture on Wednesday after the judge learned that some might have photographed witnesses
and left jurors feeling intimidated.

Cocroft booted two spectators for violating her rules on cellphone use during the trial of Mario
Marquis Harris on charges of aggravated murder and aggravated robbery.

She also interviewed each of the 12 jurors and two alternates about any interactions they might
have had with Harris’ family.

Some jurors said they’d felt threatened as relatives watched them outside the courtroom during
breaks, but all said they wanted to continue with the case.

Cocroft denied the defense a mistrial. The jury continued to deliberate yesterday.

• • •

We’re not sure what to make of this one.

At 3:18 a.m. last Tuesday, police were summoned to a Newark apartment complex by a woman who
reported that she had been “chased/attacked” by three men.

She had run to the apartment of a neighbor, who allowed her to call for help.

The police report doesn’t indicate what became of her initial report or her alleged
pursuers.

It does say that officers found a bunch of drug paraphernalia sitting out in the open at her
apartment.